A Date To Make It Right
by returntothedarklands
Summary: James has finally asked Lily on a date but on the night it all goes wrong. Can James make it up to Lily or will she never talk to him again? L/J one shot over 4 short chapters. Read and Review please : My first fanfic!
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first fanfic, so let me know what you think. Just a short one shot broken up into four chapters, L/J of course :)**

**!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Please REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so I know whether or not to put the other chapters on**

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**Chapter 1 - The First Date (and quite possibly the last).**

James was running late. It wasn't anything unusual, but hey, if Lily was going to put herself out on the line and agree to a date then the least her annoying, arrogant, antagonist could do would be to actually turn up! And she hadn't even asked him out, it had been HIM that had twisted HER arm (and most probably the brain cells responsible for her better judgement). For the billionth time that evening Lily wondered whether it was all just a cruel joke, whether the irrepressible James Potter was playing another one of his almost famous tricks. She didn't want to believe it, after all, against her own brilliant natural instincts and character assessments Lily did have to admit there was something about James that meant she couldn't quite (almost but not quite, she was working on it though) walk past him in the hall without a tiny flicker of hope kindling itself somewhere deep (VERY, VERY deep) inside her. At the same time though, she couldn't bring herself to entirely discount the idea either. In Lily's mind, there were only two possible explanations for why James Potter could be running late to a date (first date) with her.

Number 1: It was all just a trick after all, a clever scheme devised to humiliate her. (If that was the case Lily thought darkly, then James Potter was going to need more than just his amazing Quidditch skills to stay out of the all encompassing wrath she could feel boiling at the mere thought of it being a joke). Not to mention the wasted time spend waiting for the fool to turn up. Or maybe, the voice inside her head whispered, she was the fool for turning up in the first place. Lily threw that thought aside angrily. Her mind was obviously deluded. Quickly, she moved on to the second and more likely reason James Potter hadn't shown up yet. In fact, it wasn't only more likely; it was to her mind the only reasonable excuse anyone could have to stand her up.

Number 2: That James Potter was lying in an unconscious stupor somewhere in the Hogwarts hospital wing and though all his subconscious might was directed at fulfilling his life's ambition of just one date with the beautiful and charming Lily Evans, his body was just simply unable to respond due to the shockingly brutal nature of his injuries. A fall from his broom during Quidditch practice perhaps was responsible she mused. Or perhaps an accident during transfiguration class that had left him in a temporary state of being a half human - half dog. In other words, a hog. Of course, if this was the reason then Lily could perfectly understand why she was now sitting alone at the top of the astronomy tower in what really could only be described as her most breezy outfit. And to top it all off it was almost dark, any longer and she herself was going to have to leave.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed on the stone spiral staircase leading to where she was. After a tense moment of having to decide whether or not to find a hiding place, Lily was, after pretty much an hour of waiting her so called date. NO-ONE in the entire school walked the way James Potter did. Some squeaked, others clomped and some even thudded, but only James Potter....oh, there really was no other way to describe it. Only James Potter pranced. You could almost hear the self satisfied smugness in his footfalls as he walked, _one - two, one - two, one - two. _As she heard him approaching closer (he was almost to the top now), a sudden rage swept over her, one not entirely unusual when associated with J.P as she sometimes liked to call him, much to his annoyance of course. Lily waited; gathering her cloak around her so that he wouldn't catch so much as a glimpse of what she was wearing beneath. He finally appeared, looking ever so jovial, an act, Lily was sure, meant to catch her off guard and land him back in her good , THAT wasn't going to work. Ignoring his rather vague attempts at excuses and apologies, Lily rushed past him and into the stairwell. No way was she going to stay and actually have a date with him after what he'd done. Too bad, she thought reluctantly as she left, J.P happened to scrub up well as he'd somehow managed to prove tonight. If only he'd been on time. Mind you, she reminded herself, she was talking or rather thinking about James Potter here. Later (she was thinking tomorrow might be a bit too soon but definitely within the next two weeks), she decided, she might just be able to find it in her heart to almost forgive him. Maybe.

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**What did you think????? Worth putting the other chaps. up or what?**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Grovel 'til she forgives you.

James knew he'd made a mistake. In his defence he could have sworn they agreed to meet at 8 not 9, but he also knew that if he was going to make it up to Lily it was probably not a great idea to mention that. Ever. Again. He'd thought, in his naïveté that she would hear him out, they would make up and then maybe.....well he wasn't going to think about that now, but obviously he'd been wrong. Lily, the stubborn, mule-headed Lily Evans had steadily ignored him for the four days since, and still showed absolutely no sign of forgiving him. So, with somewhat distaste at the situation, James decided to employ the only advice he had for such an occurrence. Grovel, his father had told him, that's what you do. Grovel 'til she forgives you. James wasn't so keen on the idea of grovelling, especially to Lily Evans. He knew she'd never let him forget it – he certainly wouldn't if their positions were reversed, so it was with self pitying reluctance that James began the two step journey his father's wisdom promised would lead to reclaiming Lily Evan's heart. If such a thing were possible.

Step 1: Admit all wrong.

This James knew to be the key to getting Lily to at least talk to him again. Not that he wanted to. He was still waging an internal war – his mind told he certainly wasn't 100% to blame, (90% maybe, but surely not the whole 100) while his heart told him could admit it if it would bring Lily back to him, - when he got his first real opportunity to make a dent in the armour she had so carefully wrapped around her. It was Potions class, and through some incredible luck (or misfortune if the look on Lily's face was any indication) they were paired together.

"So," James began, scoping his options, "Do you think you'll ever talk to me again?"

Lily, who had been throwing in ingredients with a vengeance for almost ten minutes now flatly ignored the question, her eyes narrowing slightly as her only response. James sighed. He was obviously not going to be let off the hook easily.

"I am sorry you know," he ventured, ignoring her snort of derision, "It was my fault, completely, and although YOU could have given me a bit of time to explain..." he held up his hands against the murderous glare she'd sent his way, "...I take full responsibility for the way things turned out." He backed off a bit then, and not just because he felt it good to give her a bit of room to think. He didn't entirely trust Lily not to tip the potion she was holding all over him and his instincts of self preservation were currently on overload. After a couple of minutes, Lily broke the silence.

"Now that you've finally stopped talking long enough for me to hear myself think for once, why don't you do some actual work? I realise works probably not in your vocabulary J.P. but there is a reason we're in what's called pairs."

James had to smile. The old Lily was back! And although she obviously didn't have much good to say about him (_what was new?_) she _was_ talking to him. And that was a definite improvement. For the first time in four days, James felt a glimmer of hope. Even the stomp he received on his foot as Lily marched past could not dampen his spirits.

At the library the next day, James managed to run into Lily (actually he'd found out from her friends what time she was supposed to be meeting them there...) and it was then he decided to implement Stage Two of the plan – Win her love with a thoughtful and irresistible gift. Well that was the general idea anyway. James wasn't sure exactly what a thoughtful and irresistible gift was supposed to be but he'd done his best in any case. As he slumped into the chair opposite Lily, he saw her eyes do their trademark narrowing.

"What do you want J.P? I'm busy," she claimed although the distinct lack of book material on the table clearly contradicted her (but who was he to point this out?)

"I have something for you," he announced pulling out the gift. "Enjoy." With that he sauntered off, leaving her in puzzlement behind him. He'd done all he could now, the only thing left was to wait and see.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Pies are the Spice of Life

"So he just handed it to you and then left? He didn't stay to find out if you liked it?" Anna questioned. Lily liked Anna, had known her for years, but sometimes she wished Anna could just grasp something the first time, she thought sighing.

"No, "she repeated for about the fourth time now, "He just got up and left."

"Weird," Jules, Lily's other best friend stated. "What do you think it means?"

"Forget that," Anna butted in before Lily could answer, "Have you opened it yet? You HAVE to open it."

"Well, I don't know," Lily glanced at the little package on the table. "I'm still pretty annoyed at him."

"Yeah, but look what he did," Anna screamed excitedly, "He got you a p-r-e-s-e-n-t, a gift, a-"

"I know what a present is Anna," Lily said tiredly.

"Anna's right Lily," Jules threw the package into Lily's hands. "You have to open it."

Before she could fully convince herself that opening a present from James Potter was a bad idea, Lily tore the wrapping off, gasping in surprise at what she saw.

"What? _What is it?" _Anna shrieked. She and Jules crowded around Lily, a hush coming over them both as they too gasped at what they saw. Suddenly the two of them collapsed into helpless giggles.

"He got you a _pie. _" This time it was Jules shrieking. "_James Potter got you a pie_."

In disgust, Lily went to throw the blasted thing in the bin. A pie. A _pie._ _Why would James Potter buy her a pie for a present? _Or what if he didn't buy it? What if he'd.........god forbid what if he'd _made _her a pie? She shuddered. It didn't bear thinking about. Before she could throw the pie out however, she spied a note at the bottom of the wrapping paper. As much as she liked her friends, this was something she preferred to read alone.

"I forgot my cloak at the library," she lied, calling out to Anna and Jules. "I'm just going to go and get it." She needn't have bothered however; they were both so caught up in rolling on their beds shrieking with laughter that they failed to hear her. Shrugging, Lily left. Once she'd made it to the Gryffindor common room, Lily unfolded the letter. On it was printed a two words and a time, all written in James Potter's sloping script – _Astronomy Tower, 7pm. _


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – A Date to make it Right.

James found himself in the strange position of being nervous. Would she show up? After all, it wasn't entirely impossible that she wouldn't just to get her own back from the last time. According to his reckoning it was about 7:30 already. It really was beginning to look unpromising. What he couldn't understand though, was why she WOULDN'T come. After all, it wasn't every day James Potter asked someone out. Twice. Just as he'd almost given up hope though, he began to hear the sounds of her climbing the tower. There was no mistaking that Drill Sergeant march she'd perfected – much like the slow narrowing of her eyes and that ice-cold take-no-prisoners glare. When she reached the top, her face was mercifully missing that glare, instead she seemed perturbed, the pie she was carrying in her right hand making her look even more out of character.

"First of all," she snapped out before he could comment (good thing too because saying anything he was thinking would have landed him in trouble) "WHY exactly am I carrying a pie around?"

"Because," he whipped out his wand, turning the pie into a singled long stemmed red rose. "If you weren't then I wouldn't have been able to do that would I?" He said, handing her the rose.

An amused smile flitted across her face.

"Well," she replied softly, "It appears you were paying attention in transfiguration class after all."

"Of course," James bragged, "Didn't you know I'm the best scholar at this school?" They both laughed.

"What is this J.P?" Lily asked after a moment, without the usual smugness she used when calling him the name. It was – he believed – said with genuine warmth. With Lily Evans though, he could just be imagining.

"What?" He replied amused.

"This," she gestured around them, at the astronomy tower, at the sky above, and mostly at the picnic spread out on the tower floor. "Us being here."

"Well," James answered slowly, "How about we think of it as A Date to make it Right."

"A Date to make it Right," Lily repeated smiling, "You planning on feeding me tonight?" she laughed motioning to the picnic, "Or is this rose all I get?"

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Thanks for Reading :-)

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